Photographic-camera support.



PATENTED JULY 26, 1904.

A. MERCIER, SON. PHOTOGRAPHIG CAMERA SUPPORT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1904.

I0 MODEL.

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ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES Patented July 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE. p

PHOTOGRAPHlC-CAMERA SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,980, (lated July26,11904. A li ti fil d February 6, 19 04. Serial No.192,445. (NoruodeL)To all ZU/I/OIIY/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADRIEN MERGIER, Son,

a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, re-

siding at Lausanne, Switzerland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Photographic-Camera Supports, of which the following'isa specification.

The devices used at the present time for the production ofstereoscope-pictures have the disadvantage that they obtain the opticaldeepness effect required for them only when a certain distance from theobjects the view of which is to be taken and that the said effect is notto be obtained in all parts of the picture. In a landscape, forinstance, the perspective effect or relief obtained with the stereoscopewill be sharply marked for the trees of the foreground and not at all inthe hills forming the background of the landscape. This inconvenience isto be ascribed to the fact that the two original views made use of forthe stereoscope are taken by two object-glasses placed at a certainusual distance from one another, which is always the same, howeverdifferent the nature of the object to be reproduced might be.

It has been ascertained that stereoscopic pictures of much greaterperspective intensity will be obtained by suitably adjusting thedistance between the objectives intended to take the view in question;and the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatusrealizing the aforesaid purpose.

The accompanying drawings show one form of construction of theinvention.

Figure 1 shows in perspective view an apparatus with two stereoscopiccameras ready for use. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same apparatusfolded and shown without its support. Fig. 3 shows another form ofconstruction in elevation. Fig. 4 is a top view of same. Fig. 5 isasection through A B of Fig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the support a, which may be of any form whatever, isprovided with a slide 6, consisting of five parts 6, b 6 b, and b,hinged together, and which may be laid down horizontally, as shown inFig. 1, or folded, as shown in Fig. 2. The central part 5 of said slideis provided with a nut intended to receive the screw of a support of anyphotographic apparatus. Said slide is provided with graduations e,ranging from the center to the right and the left hand, thus formingdivisions on the same which indicate corresponding points placed at thesame distance apart from the center. g and h are two cameras of anyconstruction whatever, the objectglasses g and it of which are providedwith suitable shutters, which are actuated simultaneously by means of anindia-rubber ball 71. The cameras 9 and it are both connected with theslide by means of nuts intended to fix the said cameras on said slide ata variable dis tance from the center, the divisions provided on theslide allowing to adjust the two cameras always in the same distancefrom the visual point, (center of the slide.)

According to the distance of the object to be photographed or to thedeepness of the view to be taken, the cameras g and it are to be placedat a more or less great distance from one another, and thus stereoscopicpictures will be obtained showing when examined through an ordinarystereoscope a very intense relief effect in all parts of the picture.

The slide Z) may be rigid instead of being broken, and it can beutilized with a single camera of any usual type whatever placedsuccessively in the position of the camera g and that of camera 7L, andthus obtaining with one and the same camera and one objective twocorresponding stereoscopic views. The slide 6 may be provided with anysuitable device allowing to fasten thereon the photographic apparatus.The slide might, for instance, have a certain number of pins intended toengage with corresponding fastening means on the camera or cameras.

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 show one form of carrying out the invention with asingle camera. is is a plate intended to be fastened to any supportwhatever and which is provided with a level in. This plate bears a hingeZ, to which is pivotally connected a tubular arm on, in the longitudinalslit m of which moves the hook n of atelesco ping rod 02 allowing thedrawing out of the same. n2, a and 11; are pins similar to n intended toengage with any means for supporting any suitable photographic apparatuswhateverfor instance, a folding kodak. After having operated with such acamera fastened to one of said pins in the position of arm m (shown infull lines in Fig. 3) said arm may be overlapped to the left-hand side,as indicated in the same figure, thus enabling the operator to work withthe same apparatus in this second position.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim 1. In aphotographic-camera support, the

combinatiomwith a support having an arm upon said cameras cooperatingwith said slots for clamping said cameras at predetermined distancesalong said arm.

4. The combination with a support, of a graduated arm carried therebyextending an equal distance to either side of the same, said arm havinglongitudinally-disposed slots in either side thereof, cameras supportedon said arms, and clamping-screws upon the cameras slidable in saidslots, whereby said cameras are clamped at predetermined distances alongsaid arm.

5. A photographic-camera support, comprising a support having acamera-carrying arm, and a camera attached to said arm, said arm havinghinged portions foldable upon two sides of said camera.

'In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADRIEN MERGIER, SoN.

